Hospitals to replace Frank Erwin Center following $25M demolition

The fate of Austin’s Frank Erwin Center is etched in stone, as a $25 million demolition awaits.

The multi-purpose venue and basketball arena for the University of Texas will be replaced with two hospitals — the University of Texas at Austin Medical Center and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Community Impact reported. 

Demolition of the downtown site at 1701 Red River Street is expected to be completed by fall 2024, with construction of the hospitals slated to begin by 2026. The medical facilities will equate to an estimated $2.5 billion investment for the university.

The opening of MD Anderson, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation for cancer care, will provide greater resources for cancer patients and families in Central Texas.

“Rather than having Texans travel to MD Anderson in Houston, we will now bring the world’s best treatment to them,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Families across Central Texas who are affected by cancer every year can now stay close to home for that care.”

The hospitals will stand next to each other and be located near the Dell Medical School. Both facilities will be funded by the University of Texas, MD Anderson and various donors. UT Austin Medical Center will be built and operated by the university, while MD Anderson will build and operate the cancer center.

MD Anderson Cancer Center, based at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, has five outposts, plus the Proton Therapy Center, in Houston. It also has the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center and six affiliated cancer centers across the United States.

The Frank Erwin Center, nicknamed “the Drum,” was completed in 1977 and closed in May 2022. It hosted UT basketball games, concerts, graduations and other public and private events. The university-owned Moody Center at 2001 Robert Dedman Drive has replaced Frank Erwin as the premier entertainment center in Austin. 

—Quinn Donoghue